And So it Begins
by Alsaturriad
Summary: Sharon and Andrea have finally taken the plunge and started a relationship. Hopefully it was the right choice...
1. Chapter 1

**This story is set during S1E05 Citizen's Arrest. I love Sharon and Andrea and think there are not enough Raydor/Hobbes fanfic out there so I created my own. I do not own any of the characters, just burrowing them in order to keep me sane until season 2 next year. Hope you enjoy.**

* * *

Sharon Raydor had just finished wrapping up a case involving two kidnapped teenagers. It had been horrible. The teenaged boy was killed but the Major Crimes Division of the LAPD was lucky enough to save the girl's life. However, the parents' grief was not much lessened by this fact. It took every bone in Sharon's body not to allow herself to break down in the parents' presence. She couldn't even begin to fathom the effect losing a child could have on parents. Her mind automatically drifted to her two grown kids, thankful that they were all right, safe and hopeful that they would stay that way. She closed her eyes as Lieutenants Flynn and Provenza escorted the grieving parents away to visit one of the LAPD's grief counsellors Sharon stood there and folded her arms, as if to protect her from the harsh world and tried to compose herself and put the day behind her before heading off to meet Rusty in one of the interrogation rooms. She would hate for him to see her this unravelled.

After what seemed like hours, but was merely ten minutes, someone knocked and opened her office door. She didn't even have the energy to move or greet the person for that matter. She just stood there, with her eyes close and breathed deeply. It was DDA Hobbs. The blonde-haired woman, wearing a tan professional skirt suit, walked slowly and silently over to Sharon and rested a caring hand on her shoulder. Sharon placed her hand on top of Hobbs' and turned around. Her eyes were filling with tears, ready to flow any minute. Hobbs felt Sharon's pain through her heart and instinctively wrapped her arms around her, pulling her close. Sharon buried her head in the crook of Hobbs' neck.

"Oh god, I am so glad you are here," Sharon said between sobs. "I don't think I could handle being alone right now."

"I figured you would've needed someone around. This was a tough one huh?" Hobbs caressed Sharon's back, slightly pulling them closer. Holding Sharon tightly really began calming her down a bit. This was a relief to Andrea because she would have hated leaving Sharon in such a fragile state, especially since she had to take care of Rusty, who was not the easiest minor to deal with.

"Yes, yes it was" was all Sharon could have mustered out at that time. They stood together for a little while longer, the room growing quieter by intervals. Sharon was the one to break the now deafening silence.

"I'm so sorry for... this; God, and I ruined your jacket!"

Andrea pulled away and shook her head vehemently. "What? No! You have nothing to apologize for. This just means you're human so... you just disproved the entire LAPD who thinks you're not."

"Oh, good heavens Andrea!" Sharon shot back, while wiping away the tears on her face. She then removed her hands and looked up at Andrea, her eyes overflowing with compassion and gratitude. "Thank you."

Hobbs held Sharon's hands tightly between them. "What are friends for?"

Sharon's eyes fell on Andrea's lips the returned to her eyes. "Friends?" The coy tone in which Sharon said the word made Andrea blush a little. There was always the mutual attraction between the two women for years, however neither of them ever acted on it. They enjoyed flirting subtly when working together and having the occasional drink together at the police hangout with coworkers. It was not news to anyone that DDA Hobbs was homosexual but only a few knew about Raydor's bisexuality; not that she was ashamed of it, it just did not come up in conversation. But to be completely honest, Sharon knew Andrea was not completely sure about her [Sharon's] sexuality and used this as a means of keeping her distance. But during this moment of vulnerability, Sharon was ready-or even craving-to be loved by the woman holding her hands.

Andrea tried to play it cool. "Uh, close friends?" Sharon couldn't help it but laugh. Andrea laughed along with her. With eyes still a little puffy from all the crying, Sharon replied, "I...don't think I want any more friends, Andrea." A silence fell on the room, weighing down the air around them. Sharon knew Andrea got her drift but decided to make her point concrete. She moved her still-held-hands to Andrea's waist, closing the distance between them and softly kissed her lips. She lingered there for a while, observing her Deputy District Attorney. Hobbs now had her eyes closed, her body relaxing into Sharon's. She let go of Sharon's hands and let them run up and down her arms. She deepened the kiss a little and enjoyed it until Sharon's phone rang. Sharon reluctantly pulled away, shook her head in annoyance and walked behind her desk to answer the phone.

"This is Captain Raydor," she said, a hint of hostility in her voice. Andrea stood where she was, digesting the Captain's disposition as she spoke on the phone. She was trying to make sense of the evening's events, wondering if a relationship was what Sharon really wanted or if it was just a short lapse in judgement.

"Oh yes I haven't forgotten him Buzz. I'll be right there. Give me two minutes. Sharon turned her gaze to Andrea after placing the phone on the hook. Instead of regret, there was now one of the Captain's signature half smiles on her face.

"What?" Andrea asked, skepticism painted on her face. This was one of the things she loved about Sharon. She loved how cryptic she could be sometimes.

"I'm sorry but I have to go now. But...I hope you'll call me later?"

Andrea now had her arm folded. "So I take it you want to be in a more intimate relationship with me?"

"Yes. I have always wanted you, you know. I just...was busy." This made Andrea laugh. Andrea was becoming a little flustered by her uncertainty, but decided to play along.

"Ah, well I didn't know you were gay-for sure anyways."

"I have always been bisexual, Andrea. I have had girlfriends in the past."

"Okay. Fine. Shouldn't you be checking on Rusty now?"

"Yes, I should." Sharon walked to her door and Andrea followed. They stood in the doorway looking at each other. Andrea wiped the remains of a tear from Sharon's face.

"I'll call you later, Captain Raydor."

"Good," Sharon replied then watched DDA Hobbs as she walked out of the murder room. Sharon left momentarily to find Rusty and a frustrated Buzz, who was assigned the task of babysitting.


	2. Chapter 2

Saturday mornings like this one are always welcomed by Sharon and Rusty. Everyone gets to sleep late, laze around and work or school seems non-existent. Long To-Do lists for the past week can finally be shortened and for once, it feels like a glimpse of hope is out there. Rusty looks forward to Saturdays like this because it gives him a chance to somewhat thank Sharon for all she has done for him. It is one of the few occasions he knew she would not be waking before ten, which gives him ample sleep and still wake up before her to make her breakfast. It has become such a habit for him to carry out this task that Sharon's senses seemed to trigger her to awaken at the sound and smell of bacon sizzling on the stove. As she woke up, she looked at the clock on her bedside table. It was 10:30, which gave her ample time to have breakfast, get dressed and run errands. Her laundry was piling up and she didn't think she could make it through another week with the few outfits she had left. After sliding out of bed, she headed to the enticing aroma, which has filled her entire apartment.

"Good morning Rusty," she said cheerily as she sat on a stool around her island.

"Hey Sharon. Hope you slept well," Rusty replied, now plating two plates with bacon, eggs and pancakes. "The coffee should be done by now."

"Oh! Thank you." Sharon got up and made her cup of coffee. "What plans do you have today?"

"Remember I'm going to Jake's house to study for that stupid test on Monday?" He was now seated on a stool next to Sharon.

"Right, I completely forgot. You need a ride?"

"No. His mom is picking me up. We'll stop off at the library first though."

"Okay. I have a few errands to run so I may not be home if you return early. Anything you need dry cleaned just place them outside your door okay?"

"Yeah, sure."

They sat in silence through the rest of their meal, just enjoying the calmness and tranquility a Saturday morning brought. Rusty sat quietly counting his blessings at having such a great foster home and an even greater foster-mother all to him. After eating, they placed the plates in the dishwasher and each migrated to their personal spaces to get ready for the day's events.

* * *

As Sharon turned on her car to leave the supermarket, her phone vibrated on the front passenger's seat. As she saw the caller ID, her face lit up.

"Andrea! I meant to call earlier but I was so engrossed in getting as much done today as possible. How's your day going?"

"Everything's great. I would ask you, but you sound really fine yourself." Sharon turned off her car and made herself comfortable.

"You are absolutely correct. I just completed my To-Do list. What are you doing today?"

"Well, actually, I'm not in the cooking mood so I was just going to grab a late lunch. Care to join- if you haven't already eaten?"

"That sounds great. I'll meet you at your house in about an hour?"

"Great, I'll see you then." Andrea hung up then pushed off her blanket and sat up on the couch. She had been watching re-runs since early morning. This was her Saturday morning ritual - get up around eight and watch television until she couldn't stand the hunger pangs any more. She was just glad that now she had someone to spend the other half of her Saturdays with. To get ready in time for Sharon, she headed to the bathroom and showered. Instead of her usual attire- slacks and an oversize tee- she opted for her good pair of jeans and a floral cotton shirt. A quick brush to her hair and sandals and she was ready. After dressing she returned to the couch and resumed her TV watching. After about 40 minutes there was a knock on her apartment door. _Great. My stomach was beginning to digest itself._

She opened the door and was greeted by her favorite brunette. "Hey Sharon."

"Hey." Sharon came into the doorway and lightly kissed Andrea's lips. Unsatisfied, Andrea gripped Sharon's waist and brought her closer, their lips almost touching.

"Is that how you greet me after I've waited for an entire hour?" She immediately brought her lips to Sharon's again before she could respond. Sharon giggled and cupped Andrea's face and slid her tongue in Andrea's mouth, but as she began pushing Andrea into the apartment, Andrea pulled away.

"Uh-uh. I haven't eaten all morning so we'll leave that for later." She removed one hand from Sharon's wait and locked the door behind them. After locking up, she moved closer to Sharon and wrapped her arm further around her waist.

"You want anything in particular to eat Andrea?"

"I'll leave it up to you." They proceeded out of the building to Sharon's car.

* * *

TWO HOURS LATER...

"That was lovely Sharon," Andrea told Sharon as they now sat on a bench just a few blocks from the restaurant.

"I'll take note of that.", Sharon replied, softly touching Andrea's arm."

"But don't spoil me too much because you won't be able to get rid of me."

"Now there's a plan," Sharon smirked ever so slightly and maintained Andrea's gaze. She saw the lust in the other woman's eyes but there was also a bit of uncertainty. Sharon could tell that Andrea was still a little doubtful of starting an intimate relationship with her and this frustrated her. _Maybe I should prove it to her_ Sharon thought.

"What plans do you have for the rest of the afternoon?" Sharon asked, a group of cyclists attracting her attention.

"To be honest with you, I usually don't even leave my house unless I have important errands."

"Really? What do you do at home all day long?" Sharon's full attention was directed to Andrea now.

"I just lie down on the couch and watch re-runs. And when I get hungry, I just order take-out." Andrea stretched out her legs and tilted back a little on the bench as if demonstrating her usual Saturday composure. Sharon couldn't help but smile at the woman.

"You know what? I think you have discovered the secret to self rejuvenation." Sharon chuckled.

"Oh?"

"Yes, I mean you always seem so...relaxed and carefree. I envy you."

"Maybe you should try it every now and again." Andrea relied. _Was that an invitation? Maybe I should take her up on it._

"I'm in. Let's get out of here." Sharon decided maybe she should make the move.

"Wouldn't Rusty be home waiting for you?"

"No, he's at a friend's house and I told him I'll be late. Come on. I'm ready to relax!" Sharon jumped off the bench and pulled Andrea up. The blonde groaned slightly. "To my house."

"To your house." Sharon repeated.

"But," Andrea stopped walking and turned to Sharon, her voice now low and her face now serious. "I can't guarantee a completely uneventful evening though." She raised an eyebrow and Sharon got the drift.

"Ah, I see. I think I could handle it." The two women laughed.

"Maybe you should call Rusty and let him know how late you'll be."

"Hmm. I guess I should." Andrea and Sharon continued to the car, on their way to start their very eventful evening.


	3. Chapter 3

It was now the morning after their eventful Saturday date. Sharon woke up slightly confused, not remembering where she was. However, when another person stirred in the bed next to her, the past day's events returned to her. A smile formed on her lips as she moved closer to the blonde, wrapping her arms around her torso. She planted light kisses on her bare back and made little circles on her tummy. This woke Andrea.

"Good morning," Sharon replied as she realized the other woman was now awake.

"Good morning." Andrea took Sharon's hands into hers and brought it to her lips. "What time is it? It feels so early." She squinted at the clock on the bedside table, which looked blurry as her eyes acclimatized to her surroundings. The clock showed 6:25.

"Great. I'm up and it's barely even morning. _And_ it's Sunday. Sharon could feel her tense up.

"Is Sunday one of your laze-around-and-do-nothing-days as well?" Sharon nipped Andrea's ear.

"You bet it is." They shared a brief laugh before Sharon came up with an idea. "I can think of one way to let this time fly before I have to leave." Andrea turned around to face Sharon now. "Is that so?"

"Uh-hm. Maybe we could resume our.. 'dance' from last evening." Sharon briefly kissed Andrea then rose above her and straddled her. The covers slid down, revealing their naked forms. She laced her fingers behind Andrea's neck and brought their lips together. Just as Andrea brought her hands to Sharon's waist, a phone rang.

"Damn-it!" Sharon muttered as she realized it was hers. She reluctantly rose out of Andrea's grip and retrieved her phone from her jeans on the floor. The caller ID showed Rusty.

"Rusty! Is everything alright?"

"Yeah-well no. Can you come for me? If you can't it's okay I'll take a bus or something."

"Wait, hold on, slow down. Where are you?" Sharon turned around to face a puzzled Andrea.

"I'm still at Jake's house, remember?"

"Uh- of course I remember. Can't you wait until a little later this morning?"

"Sharon, we got in a fight. I don't want to stay here anymore. I'm sorry I called. I'll just take a cab-"

"Wait, Rusty I'm coming now. Just.. I'll be there in about fifteen minutes okay?"

"Fine." Rusty hung up the phone abruptly before Sharon could say anything else. She quickly grabbed her clothes from off the floor and throw them on.

"What's going on?" Andrea now got off the bed and moved towards Sharon.

"I don't know, but I gotta get Rusty before he.. runs away again."

"Fine. I'm coming too." She threw back on her clothes and followed Sharon out the room.

* * *

"You know you didn't have to come," Sharon stated as she and Andrea walked up to Jake's door. "He's probably just overreacting."

"Maybe, but somehow I feel like you'll need the support. And besides, it's not like I could go back to sleep now anyway. You really know how to wake someone up." She feigned an annoyed look to Sharon, who began feeling bad for spoiling her girlfriend's usual Sunday plans.

"I'm so sorry, Andrea. Really, I am." She touched her arm. They were startled as the door flew open.

"Great. Let's go." Rusty stormed towards Sharon's car and sat in the back seat. The two women just stood where they were shocked for a moment until Jake's mother drew their attention.

"Mrs. Harris, good morning. What's going on?" Sharon was now really concerned after seeing how flustered Rusty was.

"Oh, nothing. The boys just got in a little fight, that's all." Sharon was a little reluctant with that excuse and decided to ask for Jake. His mother called him.

"Jake, is everything alright here? What really happened." Sharon could sense that Mrs. Harris' was offended by Sharon's lack of trust but she didn't care. If anyone hurt Rusty, she wanted to know.

"Nothing's wrong. Maybe you should ask Rusty." Jake left soon after and ran back upstairs. Sharon couldn't help but notice the similarities in the two boys. _I guess that's why they're friends._ Andrea just stood up and observed the entire exchange. As Sharon left, she followed.

"I wonder what that's all about," she muttered aimlessly.

"I don't know, but I'm going to find out," Sharon retorted. They neared the car and entered.

"Rusty-" Sharon started.

"-Not now." He turned his gaze towards Andrea who got the hint.

"Fine. We'll go home and talk about it. But Andrea's coming too." Sharon turned to Andrea and saw how uncomfortable she was. She gave Hobbs a reassuring glance. Rusty, however wasn't too pleased.

"Why is she coming?! Doesn't she ha-"

"-She's coming because we have something to share with you." Sharon turned back to the front and turned on the car and drove off. hopefully Andrea had no problem with her last statement.

* * *

"So, is there a reason why you dragged me out of bed at half six in the morning to pick you up at Jake's house?" They just entered Sharon's apartment and made their way to the living room. Rusty dropped himself down on the sofa, leaving the two women with the only option left- two armchairs on opposite sides of the room.

"Jake's an asshole!" was all Rusty said as he buried his face in his hands. Sharon hated seeing him like this. She knew deep down there was more to this story. No one just turns against a friend without good reason, and she was adamant about finding that reason out.

"Okay... what made you come to this conclusion so suddenly Rusty?" Rusty said nothing, only glanced up at Andrea and returned his head to his hands. Andrea gave Sharon a nervous look then got up.

"I think I'll go get myself some water. You want anything Sharon?"

"No, I'm fine. You don't have to-"

"-I think I should," Andrea butted in, tipping her head towards Rusty. Sharon finally seemed to realize what has Rusty so uneasy.

"Oh," was all she said then allowed Andrea to leave the room before continuing. "Rusty, I need you to tell me what happened. Unless you want me to go back over there-"

"-No! No fine." He sighed heavily, "Everything was going fine. We were having so much fun."

"I thought you were studying?" Sharon now gave him her death glare.

"Yeah we were. This was like in the night. So we were listening to music in his room on the floor... then he... he kissed me."

"What?"

"So I pushed him off and ran downstairs and called you."

"You called me at 6:30."

"We didn't sleep."

Rusty just sat there and stared at Sharon. Sharon was quiet too for a while but decided she should try and comfort him. God knows how traumatic he must be right now. Jake must have reminded him of one of his Johns. She tried hard to tread lightly.

"Rusty... did you know Jake was gay?"

"No...not for sure anyway. What does that matter?"

"Hey, I'm just trying to fill in the gaps here because... usually... people don't just throw themselves on others unless they sense something." Sharon held her breath praying to God that her words didn't cause any more friction. After the long silence and uneasiness from Rusty, she realized she was on the correct path. "So, is it possible that you gave him the wrong impression? I'm not just talking about last night." Sharon waited patiently for Rusty to put his thoughts into words.

"Maybe" was all he could have said. He seemed broken. _Maybe I should call in Andrea now_ Sharon thought to herself. This was the perfect opportunity to inform the teen of her budding relationship with the DDA and he could gain some strength from it. Hopefully he'll feel more comfortable to accept himself for whom he is.

"I'll be right back Rusty," Sharon said as she left to call Andrea. She found Andrea in her bedroom reading the book on her bedside table.

"Rusty told you what's wrong yet?" Andrea asked as she replaced the book.

Sharon leaned on the doorpost. "He did. But I still think there is a little more."

"Oh? Are you planning to ask him?"

"Yes, but to help him along, I think it's time to tell him about us."

Andrea stood up now and moved towards Sharon, getting the drift, "Ah, well let's go spill our dirty little secret." Sharon just rolled her eyes and led Andrea back to the living room to let Rusty know why Andrea is _really_ around.


	4. Chapter 4

**I have read the reviews and feel encouraged to continue. I'm trying not to rush it along so please be patient. This chapter is mostly Sharon/Rusty but it has important clues for the upcoming chapters. I hope you enjoy. )**

It has been three hours since Sharon told Rusty about her romantic involvement with Andrea. Rusty couldn't hide how shocked he was, no matter how hard he tried. He has lived with Sharon for almost a year now and never have suspected this. It _was_ kind of strange that he never saw any male friends of hers but she was married- is married for 20 years! Rusty was completely taken by surprise. Imagine, three hours later and he still couldn't believe his eyes and ears. He just kept picturing Sharon and Andrea's embrace and kiss as Andrea left the apartment.

Rusty tried to come to grips with it and tried to pull himself back to reality as he walked towards the study where Sharon was working. _How could she look so calm as if nothing just happened?_ he asked himself as he studied her. He sat down on a chair slightly in a corner and continued looking at her. She must have felt his eyes because she looked up at him above the rim of her glasses.

"Yes?" was all she said, placing her pen on the table. Rusty decided to just ask her all the questions now popping in his head. Hopefully they wouldn't offend.

"Does your husband know you're dating a woman?" He regretted asking this question immediately as he saw Sharon's face drop slightly. _Maybe a little too harsh_ her thought. However, Sharon, always ready to answer all his questions no matter how personal, took a deep breath and replied, "My husband and I, as you know, have been separated for two decades. Honestly, I don't know if he knows; It's not like I'm going to call him and tell him." _Was she angry?_ He couldn't tell- he never could tell. He knew he shouldn't press on, but he couldn't stop himself.

"You ever had girlfriends before marrying him?"

"I had one, in high school." Sharon fiddled with the edge of her sweater sleeve before continuing. "We speak every now and again." She sat up a little straighter and narrowed her eyes at him. "What if I told you you met her already?" Seeing that he only met one of her friends, he knew exactly who it was.

"You mean Liz?! The blonde energizer bunny?" Sharon couldn't help but laugh at Rusty's bluntness at times. It was better than being offended.

"Yes. _That_ Liz. We attended high school together and thought we fell in love. We had sworn to each other that we would never break up."

"What happened?" Rusty liked when Sharon opened up to him. It made him feel closer to her somehow.

"We went to different colleges. We kind of lost contact. Things just happened so fast. I got married, then found out she got married a year later too. I don't know, I guess we weren't meant to be together."

"At least you're friends again."

"Actually we're best friends again." Sharon smiled at Rusty then turned back to her work. They sat in silence for about 15 minutes before Rusty interrupted her again.

"So were you confused when you were attracted to Liz?" Sharon placed her pen down again.

"Actually no. I went to a catholic boarding school and were surrounded by girls all my life. It just seemed natural to be attracted to her, especially since most of my friends were gay as well. What really flustered me was falling in love with my husband. He was the first guy I ever had feelings for and have been with."

"How long had you been together?"

"We've been married for 38 years."

"No-wow-no, I mean how long you were together before splitting?"

"Oh." She had to think a little; it was so long ago. "Well we've been separated for... 21 years so we were together-really-for 17 years.  
Sharon could see the shock on Rusty's face again at how long she had been involved with her husband. _I wonder how old he thinks I am._ "Anything else, Lieutenant?" Sharon added with a smirk.

"No . That's just a long time to be married for."

"It sure is," Silence engulfed the room again. Sharon rose her head after a while again to observe Rusty. She couldn't help but notice his uneasiness. She broke the silence this time. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, sure." He didn't even look up at her so she knew he was lying. She got up and moved over to sit on the stool near his chair.

"Rusty, I know this is hard for you but it's not as bad as people make it out to be. Since you really like him and he obviously likes you, then I think you know what the obvious next step is." Rusty just remained silent and turned his face from Sharon's. She wasn't getting through to him._ I could really use your help here Andrea_ Sharon thought before continuing. "Rusty? Rusty!"

"What?"

"What is the real reason you're afraid to let Jake know how you feel? Look at me!" her stern tone surprised her more than it did Rusty. He tried to hold back the tears that were forming.

"I can't... I can't-"

"-Rusty, you can. I know it's a little hard keeping your past in the back of your mind when you try to become intimate, but you cannot let that hold you back from getting close to others. The more you run away from this, the harder it will get." Sharon moved closer to the boy she now considered family and placed her arm around him. "Will you take this step for me at least? If you do, I promise I would be right here for you if you ever feel like running again." She could see the tears dripping off his face now. She had to lighten the mood a little. "I'll even increase your allowance so you can splurge on him." He laughed softly at this.

"Thanks... Sharon. For everything."

"No problem Rusty. This is why I'm here right?" She looked at him waiting for an answer. He just chuckled and replied, "Right." At that very moment, Sharon's phone rang on the desk so she lightly hugged him and retrieved the phone. It was Provenza, which meant her tam got a case.

"Text me the address. I'll be right there." She hung up then turned to look at Rusty.

"You can go Sharon. I'll be fine."

"Of course you will." She narrowed her eyes at him. "Call Jake." It sounded like a command so Rusty figured he should just get it over with to prevent Sharon from getting angry at him. He just nodded at Sharon and tried to prepare himself mentally for this important phone call.


	5. Chapter 5

**I know this chapter is a little long but I had to get Sharon Raydor out of my system before I exploded. It took 2000 words and 2 hours to do it so hopefully it turned out good. Enjoy.**

* * *

Sharon arrived at the crime scene after the rest of her team. She found an empty parking space and drove into it. Before joining her team, she decided to text Rusty to find out how his phone call went. Meanwhile, Provenza was the first to spot the Captain and naturally had to make a snide remark.

"I wonder how Rusty is coping living with that woman. Sometimes I feel sorry for the kid."

"Well," Tao interjected "he obviously has no problem with it since he hasn't bolted like with his other foster homes. Who knows, maybe she's a better mom than she is a boss."

"Right, because being a mom and a boss are so completely different. I fail to see how the Wicked Witch of the West could possibly be liked at all, far less a teenager." Provenza shifted his weight to his right foot. "What the hell is taking her so long anyway?" This got Flynn's attention.

"Well unlike you, she probably has a life you know. Maybe she's even checking in on Rusty. Chill." The rest of the team couldn't help but turn their attention to Flynn and Provenza's conversation. Provenza, unlike Flynn, was now enjoying the extra attention and decided to seize the opportunity to get under his partner's skin.

"Alright, alright. I'll leave your girlfriend to take all day to get here." Sánchez and Sykes laughed. Buzz couldn't help himself either. Flynn was not going to let Provenza get under his skin this time. He just muttered something and blew it off. Tao decided but in.

"Yeah well while you're here early getting upset about her being late, maybe Flynn has a point there. Maybe she as some good reasons for reaching late and...staying in that car so long." Tao looked at Provenza over his shades. Provenza, as sly as he is, was not letting Flynn off the hook so easily replied, "Hmm. Andy, do you have anything to share with the class?"" He turned to Flynn with a very innocent expression on his face. Andy couldn't hide the surprise and embarrassment from showing on his, which made the entire group erupt in laughter. He just turned away and stormed inside the house where the murders took place. "Jackass," he muttered as he left. Provenza continued to heckle, shouting words to Flynn's back.

"See? He can't even deny it. Walk away, lover-boy." Laughter erupted again.

Momentarily, Sharon walked up the front steps to join the team by the front door.

"Good morning everyone. Thanks for waiting."

"Like we had a choice," Provenza said under his breath, audibly enough for Sharon to hear though. Ignoring his statement, Sharon walked into the house and the others followed. "Bring me up to speed please...Lieutenant Tao."

"Well Captain, the neighbors called 911 after hearing about ten gunshots and screaming. Over here," Tao dramatically pointed, "we found the wife shot three times- once to the head and twice to the abdomen. And over here," He practically ran to the opposite end of the house, Sharon grudgingly jogging after him, "we found the husband with four gun shot wounds to the back." Tao was about to trek back over to the front of the house when Provenza interjected.

"There are two bullet holes in the wall behind the husband there and two more on the left wall by the wife. If you like, we can _walk _over there and observe them."

"Thank you Lieutenants," Sharon said, still panting a little. "Was a gun found?"

"No, but we're still searching the parameter just in case," Sykes added.

"Well, can someone tell me why this is a major crime?" Sharon asked a little puzzled.

"Because Captain, the woman laying in the corner there was our friendly Mayor's plaything. He put in a special request to our dearest Assistant Chief of Police." Provenza couldn't have sounded more smug and Sharon couldn't hide her disapproval from her face. So many years commanding Internal Affairs her entire career and never in her wildest dreams would she have sanctioned classifying this crime as a Major Crime merely because the Mayor was having an affair with the victim. Now, ironically, she is leading Major Crimes, and is being asked-ordered- to do just that. She hated it very much but decided to just do her job.

"Fine, Lieutenant. Let's all meet back at the Station and put our heads together and hopefully, get to enjoy the rest of our Sunday." Everyone agreed and were heading off. Sharon, however, noticed Flynn's uncomfortable demeanor and questioned him about it.

"Everything alright Lieutenant?"

"Yeah, sure," he said and hastily walked out of the house ignoring the snickering that followed him. Sharon didn't seem to notice and hastily walk over to her car to drive to work.

* * *

The day seemed to fly by so quickly but the case not so much. They were now stuck because Chief Taylor ordered Sharon to investigate the murders discretely to keep the press uninvolved. As much as Sharon hated it, she had to obey Taylor's orders nevertheless so the one person who may be able to help them- the Mayor- she could not interview directly yet. As much as her team argued about this, she was not budging.

"We'll just have to wait until we have a main suspect _before_ we interview the Mayor. It is in no one's interest to accuse him right now-"

"You mean Assistant Chief Taylor's interest," Provenza butted in, stressing on 'Assistant Chief'. Sharon ignored him as usual and continued.

"It's getting late everyone. Let's resume in the morning, shall we?" Mumbles of agreement were heard all around and everyone began tuning down for the day. Sharon retreated to her office and sat behind her desk to regroup her thoughts. As she looked down at the file on her desk, she noticed that there was three missed calls on her cell phone. It was from Andrea half an hour ago. She picked up the phone and called her back.

"Hey," she said softly.

"Hey yourself," Andrea replied.

"I'm sorry I missed your calls earlier. I'm was working on a new case."

"Yeah, Rusty told me. You still at work?"

"Yes. I'm done for the day so I'll be leaving soon."

"Great because I wanted to take you out to dinner this evening since Rusty's...dilemma took up our entire morning."

"Oh! I have to find out how that went! I hope everything's fine."

"I'm sure it is. He'll get over the awkwardness soon enough."

"Maybe you should speak to him, seeing that you have more experience in this matter."

"Sure, but I'm sure you gave a great pep talk. I'll pick you up at your house around eight?"

"Okay, I'll see you then."

"Bye."

"Bye." Sharon threw on her jacket and placed her phone in one of the pockets. She picked up her handbag and the file on her desk and left the office through the back door.

She opened her apartment door, placed her keys and jacket in their respectful places then went straight for Rusty's room. She needed to make sure everything went alright. She took a deep breath then knocked on his closed door.

"Rusty?"

"Just a minute Sharon," he replied as a made his way slowly to the door. As much as he loved her genuine concern on this particular matter, he could really use some privacy. Nevertheless, he decided to give her this one. He opened the door.

"Sorry I'm so late," Sharon said as she made her way over to his window. "I wish I could have stayed with you."

"I'm not a little child Sharon, everything went fine," Rusty snapped. He immediately saw the hurt on Sharon's face which vanished as suddenly as it came on. He couldn't help but feel guilty for sounding so ungrateful after how hard he knew she was trying to be there for him. He sat down on the edge of his bed and bowed his head. "I'm sorry. It's just... so much to deal with right now."

"I know Rusty. I just want to be here for you whenever you need me. Please, don't push me away because..." tears welled up in her eyes, "... I care too much for you to see you hurt. I want to make sure that you're happy here with me."

"I am happy with you. I guess it's just kind of embarrassing discussing Jake with you."

"So I'm guessing everything went well? You _did call_ him, right?" Sharon gave him her signature glare.

"Yes I did. And it did go well." He was glad to see Sharon's face light up again.

"Great! Maybe we could double date sometime," Sharon teased. Rusty was not in the least up to that idea.

"That will never happen. I'd rather die." Sharon laughed.

"Oh, never say never Rusty," Sharon moved over to the boy and gave him a hug. He playfully pushed her away. Sharon made sure Rusty was really okay then exited through the door. Before she re-closed it, she added, "I ave a date with Andrea tonight in about" she looked at her watch, "half an hour. Is it okay if I go?"

"Sure Sharon. It's not like I'm a material witness who could run away at any time or something," Rusty smirked. This time it was Sharon who did not approve of the joking.

"Rusty-"

"I'm just kidding around, but I hope your relationship with Andrea doesn't keep you out late all the time."

"Why? Are you afraid you'll miss me?" Sharon shot him a pitiful look.

"No," he lied lamely. Sharon saw right through it. His unintentional confession broke her heart a little. She would have run over to him again and give him a big hug if only she wasn't running late.

"I'm going to get ready. Let Andrea in if she comes early."

"Sure." Sharon closed the door.

* * *

As Sharon reentered her living room, there was a knock on the door. _Excellent timing _she thought as she went to open it. She looked through the peephole just to be sure and her breath was taken away for a split second by how beautiful Andrea looked. Andrea wore a little black satin dress that hugged her hips and stopped about three inches above her knees. The plunging V neck revealed enough to seduce Sharon instantly. Sharon immediately opened the door, noticing the four inch red stiletto pumps that made her a few inches taller than her. But one thing she couldn't resist was her full lips accented by a red tint.

"Wow," was all she said before she kissed the other woman. "You look remarkable. Purely stunning." She kissed her again.

"Well Sharon, thank you. I figured I should at least try to match you every once in a while. And you..." She turned Sharon around by her hips, "look absolutely gorgeous yourself."

"Thank you," Sharon blushed. She never truly got used to complements, seeing that they tend to be few throughout her life as the FID Captain. "Where are you taking me?" Sharon asked with her eyes glued to Andrea.

"Let me surprise you." She took Sharon's arm to lead her outside but Sharon stopped her.

"Let me go tell Rusty I'm leaving."

"Oh, no need. He's looking at us." Sharon followed Andrea's gaze to a stunned Rusty.

"Wow. This must be some fancy restaurant." His eyes were stuck on Sharon's pink silk blouse and black pencil skirt, revealing a little more leg than he could handle. His face flushed a little. Sharon decided to save him.

"Well Rusty, I'm going now. Remember it's a school night."

"Uh... sure. Have fun." Sharon and Andrea quickly left to make up for lost time. They had absolutely no idea what an eventful night this one would turn out to be.

* * *

**P.S. I always shied away from making up my own crime cases because I was afraid they would not be believable. I hope this one is. I added Flynn also to let the Flynn/Sharon shippers realize that this relationship is of no comparison to Sharon/Hobbs. No hard feelings ;)**


	6. Chapter 6

**I know I took FOREVER to post this chapter. I just could not find the time with my new job and everything. Hopefully it's fairly good because I kind of rushed the end. I'll do my best to post another chapter sooner, but I really can't promise anything ****:/**

* * *

Andrea and Sharon entered the restaurant. There were a lot of people but it wasn't overcrowded. Actually, the atmosphere was just perfect- cozy and vibrant.

"This is lovely, hon," Sharon commented as they stood by the entrance. "I've never been here before."

"Well that's because they recently opened. My brother owns the place."

"Really? Will I be meeting him tonight?" Sharon looked at Andrea with a raised eyebrow. Of course she was; this _was _the plan all along. Andrea only blushed because she knew exactly what Sharon was thinking.

"Well I have to introduce him to the girl who got me out of my house on a Saturday, right?"

"Hmm. Right." Sharon replied. Just then, they were escorted to a perfect little nook, which provided great privacy. They sat down and looked over the menus presented to them.

"So, does he always check in on you like that?" Sharon continued the conversation from before. It took Andrea a little while to realize but she eventually caught on.

"No, he was just planning to stop by in the afternoon."

"You didn't tell me you already had plans," Sharon said with a tinge of nervousness.

"Sharon, it's fine. I prefer your company anyway. Relax." Andrea stretched out her hand on the table towards Sharon, who laced her fingers with hers and gave in.

"Alright alright. Let's order then.

* * *

Dinner was like an emotional roller-coaster. They were laughing at stories till they cried, close to real tears when a sad incidence was brought up or even embarrassed when a deeply buried secret was revealed. Sharon and Andrea truly became one that night as they shared parts of themselves that only a select few knew. The intimacy of the moment was astoundingly pure and genuine between them, so much so that it now became impossible to live life without the other and not lose a piece of their heart.

"And now, I regret not cutting all ties with him after my little girl was born. Every time I think of it, I can't help but think how naive I was for ever trusting him." Sharon took a sip of her white wine. She hated thinking about her failed marriage.

"Well, I mean you can't blame yourself for not seeing that side of him. Charm is a hell of a blind-spot." Andrea giggled nervously. _How the hell did we get to talking about her husband?_

Sharon noticed Andrea's discomfort, so she tried to lighten the mood. "Anyway, he gave me two beautiful children, who I adore so I guess he wasn't all that bad. "

"How are they, your kids?"

"Oh they're doing great." Sharon's face instantaneously lit up. "Brian and his wife are actually expecting twins soon."

"Yeah?"

"Yes. I tried to contain my joy and over-excitement but I couldn't so now he has taken a little break from calling." They laughed. "And my daughter Susan, well, she is just enjoying the single life right now. She's an assistant editor for the New York Times but she's planning to start her own magazine soon."

"Wow, impressive. You did a good job with your kids Shar."

"Thank you very much," Sharon replied trying to suppress how proud she felt concerning her kids but it was still beaming through her. She loved talking about her kids. They were the one constant in her life that provided joy and comfort when everything else seemed to be wrong. She loved them more than anything and would just die if something were to happen to them. As she thought about her kids, she looked into Andrea's eyes and at that moment, she realized that maybe, just maybe, the woman opposite her could find herself being loved just as much as Sharon loves her kids. The thought sent shivers through Sharon, tinged with both delight and anxiety. Could she handle such a bigger burden?

"What are you thinking about now?" Andrea asked, pulling Sharon back to reality.

"I was just thinking about how much I'm beginning to want and need you in my life." Sharon's bluntness threw Andrea off a little but she recovered quickly and replied, "I'm glad you're beginning to feel this way because I think I'm feeling the same way." Sharon took Andrea's hand and pulled her a little closer over the table. "Care to-" Before she could finish, a very tall, slim blonde guy dressed in all black appeared at the table.

"Hope I'm not interrupting," the man said. Andrea looked up a little annoyed until she realized it was her brother.

"Hey! Anthony, how are you?"

"I'm great as usual. You?"

"Good myself. Uh Anthony, this is Sharon. Sharon, Anthony."

"Nice to meet you," Sharon replied with her signature fake smile and shook his extended hand. She hated being interrupted.

"The pleasure is mine. I must say, you two look stunning tonight. I must say Andrea, you have good taste in women." He gave her a wink before glancing at Sharon and giving her his brightest smile. How's the dinner?"

"It's perfect," Sharon replied giving in to his charm. _He means well, I guess_. "This is a lovely place you have here."

"Thank you. It has always been a dream of mine opening my own restaurant. I'm glad I actually did it. Well, I don't mean to get in the way so" Anthony extended a hand towards Sharon who accepted it, "nice meeting you again Sharon."

"Oh the pleasure was mine, Anthony."

"Well, hopefully I'll have to find another hangout on Saturdays from now on, huh?"

"Okay Anthony. Don't you have a kitchen to run?" Andrea interrupted.

"Yeah, I should actually be getting back. See you guys around?"

"Sure, you've gained a new regular tonight," Sharon smiled.

"Great! Well good evening ladies." The three exchanged smiles and Anthony left, returning Sharon and Andrea to their privacy

"Your brother is lovely."

"He has his moments. I don't know what I'll do without him." The two women finished up their last course in a comforting silence.

* * *

With the bill paid by Andrea, the couple got up and began leaving until Sharon heard someone shout "Captain Raydor". As she turned around, she immediately saw her squad minus Sykes sitting at a round table. She waved to them and reluctantly walked over with Andrea close behind.

"Captain, nice dress,"Provenza purposefully commented, knowing it would make the woman feel uncomfortable, and that it did. Sharon could feel all eyes on her and couldn't stand the awkward silence that followed. She knew deep down that Provenza was enjoying this and she needed to get away. Luckily, Andrea came to her rescue.

"So, you guys having a boys night out?" Sharon turned to Andrea, who immediately noticed her gratitude in her eyes.

"Yeah, just needed a break from the case," Tao added. "You two can join us if you like." Sharon couldn't help but notice how uncomfortable Flynn got at the suggestion and figured maybe not everyone wanted her around. She decided it best to decline.

"Maybe some other time, Lieutenant. I've had a long night. See you all tomorrow." Sharon touched Andrea slightly on her arm and began walking off.

"Good evening guys," Andrea inputted before catching up with Sharon. She absentmindedly placed her hand on the small of Sharon's back while exiting through the restaurant's doors, a gesture that was not missed by Sharon's team. There were shocked looks on everyone's face except for Flynn, of course. Naturally he would not notice that his crush may not be batting for his team. It was Provenza again who just had to make a comment. Boy did he hate the woman!

"Well, well, well. It looks like our Captain isn't as lonely as we all thought," he said, stressing on 'Captain' as he always does.

"I had no idea," Tao agreed, still a little shocked. Didn't you say she was married?"

"Yeah, for about twenty years, if I'm remembering correctly." Provenza snickered. "I guess we now know why _that _marriage didn't last. Maybe Mr. Raydor caught her hand in the cookie jar." Provenza laughed raucously at his own joke, the others', more of nervous laughter. Flynn, however, was not on board.

"What the hell are you talking about?" he asked angrily.

"Well, dearest friend, I guess you never had a chance after all." Provenza laughed out again, almost throwing down his and Tao's drinks; He was a sloppy drunk.

Sanchez interjected, taking a gulp of his beer. "At least they looked hot." Everyone turned looking at him with surprise. He looked up at them. "What? You know they did." He sat back with his signature smirk planted on his face and stared at Flynn. Flynn looked up flustered and slightly embarrassed. He really wanted to know what was going on.

"Hey don't you guys have any respect for a senior officer? Come on man." He shot a glare at Provenza.

"Well, Flynn," Provenza started. He was actually starting to feel sorry for his best friend. "I don't know how to break this to ya, but your girl, Captain Raydor, may not have _you_ in mind."

"What?" Flynn still looked confused. Either he was a good actor or he really was blind, but either way, Provenza was becoming agitated himself by his friend's cluelessness.

"Your girl's gay, damn it! How could you miss that?" The rest of the table went silent.

"No way! How do you know that?"

"You know, sometimes I wonder how you became a detective in the first place. How could you not see how she and Andrea looked at each other?"

"Don't forget the touch, Lieutenant," Sanchez butted in. He was enjoying heckling Andy just as much as Provenza. Tao, however, was getting tired of this game.

"Hey guys, you two can continue this game but I should be getting back to my wife and kid." He got up, placed his share of the bill on the table, bid his goodbye and left. Now Provenza and Sanchez were left trying to get Flynn to see the white elephant in the room.

* * *

"Andrea, I can't remember the last time I had such a great time," Sharon said as she and Andrea stood outside her apartment door. Andrea insisted on walking her to her door.

"I'm glad I made it worth your while," Andrea relied, bringing her lips to Sharon's for a short kiss.

"Would you like to come in for a cup of tea or something?"

"No, I think I should get going. You have a long day tomorrow." She kissed Sharon once more.

"Call me when you get home."  
"You checking in on me, hon?" Andrea added smirking.

"Yes, as a matter of fact. I want to make sure that my favourite lady is safe at all times. Is there something wrong with that?"

"Of course not." She smiled and kissed Sharon. This time, she wrapped her arms around the other lady's waist and pulled her firmly against her. Sharon moaned as Andrea sandwiched her between the door and herself. Sharon ran her hands up and down Andrea's spine. They were enjoying the moment while the elevator door opened suddenly, revealing one of Sharon's neighbours. This caused Andrea to pull away reluctantly.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" Andrea asked, trying to fix Sharon's smudged lipstick as much as possible with her thumb.

"Sure, if I could just close this wretched case by then." They sighed in unison.

"Well, enjoy your night, Sharon."

"You too, Andrea. Don't forget to call, or I will be worried."

Andrea laughed. "Yes, ma'am." She kissed Sharon lightly again and left. As the elevator door closed behind Andrea, Sharon entered her apartment. She smiled all the way to Rusty's room to check on him, then smiled straight to bed.


	7. Chapter 7

**So, I ****don't want to focus on any cases in this fanfic so let's just skip to the end, shall we? This chapter takes place after Major Crimes closes up the case involving the Mayor's dead mistress...**

Sharon entered Major Crimes Division after the annual parent's meeting in Rusty's school, only to find her entire team there chatting loudly and having a seemingly good time. She stood out of view for a little while to build up enough courage to join them, if they insisted. She was never quite comfortable in large social gatherings and always avoided them whenever she could. This was one of the perks working in FID provided; she may have been hated by many, but at least she wasn't constantly invited to the police bar with coworkers. Finally snapping out of her thoughts, Sharon let out her breath the she apparently was holding in and briskly walked into the murder room, in view of her coworkers. Tao was the first to welcome her.

"Captain! What are you doing here?" The rest of her team turned towards her. She tried to ignore their stares and not look too embarrassed. Oh how she hated to be stared at.

"St. Joseph's had a parents' meeting so I went. I still have this case's report to complete but I left all the paperwork on my desk so, here I am. What are all of _you_ still doing here? It's after six."

"Oh we were just hanging out for a while but-" Sykes was interrupted by Sanchez.

"-We were planning on heading to the bar soon."

"Oh," Sharon added. She narrowed her eyes, her face plastered with her signature scrutinising look. "If I recall correctly, most of you were at a certain restaurant just yesterday. Should I be worried about the level of alcohol intake?" Her team was speechless, more out of shock than guilt, however Provenza was clearly insulted.

"Listen, before you decide to run over to FID and report anyone, let me give you a little advice. Not everyone turns into an alcoholic after enjoying a few drinks with their colleagues. No offence Flynn." Flynn shot him an annoyed look and rolled his eyes.

"Maybe, but to prevention is better than cure, Lieutenant. I am just sounding my concern." Sharon's attention was fully focused on Provenza, who was absolutely annoyed now. She began regretting ever saying anything, but there were some habits that even she found hard to break. She spent her entire career keeping the police officers in line and in control and it was what she was good at. It was what she felt comfortable doing. And honestly, she was just looking out for her team. Provenza, however, didn't seem to understand that.

"Look, Captain," he was now on his feet. "When I am ready to have my life micromanaged, I'll give you a call." Provenza turned to his team again. "Guys, I'm heading out now so see you there," he said then picked up his jacket and stormed out of the murder room. All eyes were now back on Sharon. Boy did she hate this! Just when she and Provenza were kind of making progress. Maybe there was some truth behind her nickname after all. The air, now thick with awkwardness, was stifling everyone in the room. She could sense that they all wanted to leave, but how rude would that be. She decided maybe it's best to fall on the sword and leave first so the others would feel less uncomfortable. As she turned to go, Flynn got up and called her.

"Captain Raydor."

_Oh great_ she thought as she looked at him. "Lieutenant?"

"Trust is important between coworkers, you know. Especially on the Police Force."

"I agree. And part of that 'trust' entails looking out for the well being _of _your colleagues."

"Yeah, well-"

"-Lieutenant, I know what you mean, however I am not merely your coworker, but I am your boss. My job is to keep you in line and that is all I am trying to do here. I see that I have offended you all, and for that, I'm sorry. I hope you have a good time, honestly but please take my advice. It is a good practice to keep your... bar visits under three times a week." Not waiting for a response from her still-shocked team, Sharon turned away and walked to her office. As she reached the door however, Flynn called her again. She turned.

"If you want, Captain, well-uh I don't know- if you don't have any plans, you could actually monitor us...yourself?" He could here the snickering behind him and prayed Sharon couldn't. That would really tick her off now.

"Thank you for the invitation, Lieutenant, but I think you all have seen enough of me for the day," she chuckled, "and besides, I am going to have a little _chat_ with Rusty tonight."

"Trouble in school again?" Tao asked.

"Not exactly, but he _has_ been keeping secrets from me that may hurt him academically. I think he may need another pep talk."

"Well Captain," Flynn said, returning the conversation back to the previous issue, "You are welcomed anytime."

"Than you, but I don't think everyone would be on board with that." They all knew the said individual to whom she was referring.

"Well it isn't his decision to make, so the offer still stands." He smiled softly at her. He really needed to get over this crush...bad!

"Thank you...for the offer, Lieutenant. I really do appreciate it." Sharon smiled back at him, wished everyone goodnight and headed back to her office. Flynn knew she was just being polite and may never take up the offer so he sighed to himself and walked back to his desk. He hated how detached Sharon was from the team and couldn't help but blame it on his colleagues and himself. Hell, it probably was the entire Force's fault! _The more things change, the more they stay the same._

Sharon could really use hearing Andrea's voice right now. She could do with some serious comforting so as soon as her office door closed, she pulled out her phone and dialled the blonde's number. _Thank God at least Andrea is completely on my side _she thought as the phone rang. She sat back in her chair, closed her eyes and focussed on the voice she heard answering on the other end of the call._  
_


End file.
